Happy Birthday
by Pilotofmymind
Summary: It's almost Gai's birthday, and his cell, and Kakashi are all trying to figure out what to get him! Gai/Kakashi oneshot.


**DECEMBER 30**

Gai smiled as he watched his students walking away, he knew they would all make amazing jounin, when the time came, yet he was reluctant about it. He didn't want to see them go. He loved his cell. They were his family. And that was something that was impossible to give up.

Yet he knew that they needed to go out into the world by themselves, and make it on their own, he was smothering them, as Ten-Ten had put it a week earlier, though he had never really noticed that he was doing any such thing.

Gai sighed as he put his hands on his hips and started off toward his apartment, it would be a lonely week with his students on a mission. With no Lee at home Gai didn't really know what he was going to do with himself. As far as he knew Kakashi was still on one of his missions. He had been going on an awful lot of missions ever since the chuunin exam incident.

But Gai couldn't hold that against him, who could? He had lost each of his students consecutively, first Sasuke, then Naruto, and then Sakura, who had been his favorite, despite what he would say: '_I don't have a favorite, Gai. I don't like to pit my students against each other, I want them to work together...'_.

Gai, of all the people in Konaha could tell when someone had a favorite student, everyone had one, Asuma's was Shikamaru, Kurenai's was Hinata, His was Lee, and Kakashi's was Sakura. Dispite his protests.

And despite what Gai told others he was a very lonely man. There was only one other person in all of Konaha that knew this.

Lee.

And Lee was currently trying to get his unwilling cell members to help him set Gai up with someone.

Someone he admired. Someone he loved. Someone he respected. Someone he had been pining after for years. Hatake Kakashi.

And yet Lee had no plan. No way of getting Kakashi to get together with his sensei. No way of achieving any of the things he was trying so hard to accomplish.

And Kakashi, half way across town, sitting on his couch, and looking longingly out the window had no idea how he was going to tell Gai how he really felt about him, no way of knowing how he was going to tell Gai that he had actually liked him since his ANBU days, no way of telling Gai that he had fallen in love with him years earlier, after he had come to Kakashi and practically demanded that he quit ANBU, and quit it for good.

Not just a break. A complete retirement. No less. Other wise Gai himself had been planning on joining. And there was no way Kakashi was going to let another person die because of him. There was no way that Kakashi was going to lose his only friend, because he was being an idiot. No way in hell. So he quit. And it took him three days to figure out that he was in love with Gai, as the other man buzzed around his apartment, cleaning up the dried blood, and cleaning and polishing all of Kakashi's weapons, doing all of his laundry, and cleaning all of his dishes, restocking his food supply (something he would eventually come about taking care of at the end of every month, doing all of Kakashi's shopping for him so he wouldn't have to go into a store, because Gai knew how asocial he was), and bringing him soup in bed.

Kakashi had responded to his sudden emotions the only way he had known how, he had asked Gai to leave. And Gai had done just that. And he had regretted it ever since.

**DECEMBER 31**

Kakashi awoke to a banging on his front door, yet he didn't get out of bed, instead he stayed where he was, and waited for Gai to come in, when he realized that Kakashi was 'gone', but instead he only received another knock, perhaps Gai had gone to the Hokage, and checked if he was back...

Sighing Kakashi dragged himself out of bed, and pulled his robe on as he went to the door, yet when he opened it and peeked out he was shocked to see Lee standing there.

"Lee-kun?"

"Ah! Kakashi-sensei! I... I have to talk to you." Lee said softly, his smile faltering slightly.

"Is..." Kakashi paused, he knew that if something serious had happened to Gai Lee wouldn't be so calm, yet that's all he could think of. "Is Gai alright?" He almost didn't recognize his own voice it was so low, almost a whisper.

"Oh yes! Of course! he is in perfect health. I just came over to ask for your help with something." Lee said clearing his throat slightly.

"Come in then." Kakashi said as he opened the door and walked into the kitchen, where he was soon joined by Lee.

Gai frowned as he stood in the training grounds, he personally would rather be on a mission, yet the Gondaime had said that he should take at least three days off because of his birthday. So he had said yes, though he didn't want to. He had naturally assumed that Shizune had been behind the whole thing, she thought that the shinobi were all over worked, yet Tsunade-sama seemed to think that they were under worked.

And Gai didn't mind, as long as he was working, or training, he was happy, so he had decided to train today. Possibly he would think of something new to teach to Lee. With that in mind Gai smiled and set about training.

After his training was complete Gai couldn't resist going to the bar for a drink, after all it was his birthday in the morning, it wouldn't hurt to have _one_ drink... Yet that one drink quickly turned into three, and three turned into six, and before he knew it he couldn't remember what he was going into town for, and decided to do it tomorrow, as he had his eighth drink. And soon his celebratory drink turned into a drink of sorrow. And his drinking went on into the night.

**JANUARY 1st **

As Kakashi stood in his living room with Ten-Ten, Neji, and Lee he didn't really know what to say to them, when Lee suddenly spoke.

"I thought that you said Gai-sensei would come by yesterday..."

"Personally I'm quite glad that he didn't, I would have died of embarrassment if I had to say to him what you told me to say." Kakashi said as he turned away to look at the wall, as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Well, I think I was wrong anyway. Because I don't see what Gai-sensei could possibly see in you." Lee said heatedly.

"Calm down Lee." Neji interjected.

Ten-Ten meanwhile couldn't help but frown as she looked out the window, wasn't that Gai-sensei coming toward the building right now?

"Neji, please, are you going to stick up for him?" Lee asked, quite annoyed with his cell member, though he knew Neji couldn't possibly understand his dilemma, Neji hadn't lived with Gai for the past two and a half years, he didn't think of Gai as a father, he didn't want, more then anything else in the world to help Gai be happy. He didn't understand.

"Lee, I think that your anger is completely misplaced."

"Lee just stop it, did you ever think that maybe Gai has a lover? I mean, he didn't show up here, for all I know he may not come at the end of every month, he probably just comes right before I return." Kakashi said as he heaved a sigh.

"...guys..." Ten-Ten said as she glanced over at them.

"He does not have a lover! I of all people would know!" Lee said as he quickly crossed his arms and shook his head slightly.

"Lee, Gai doesn't tell you everything." Kakashi said as he looked at Lee.

"He does so."

"I can't see that, actually." Neji said frowning slightly, "Has he told you whether or not he is a virgin?"

Lee's face turned pink as he shook his head hard, "Neji! This is not an appropriate conversation! And completely off subject!"

"Actually that isn't completely off subject." Kakashi said turning to face them once again.

"Guys."

"That's right, it isn't off subject, that's something he hasn't told you. Did he ever even tell you he was gay?"

"He didn't have to tell me! I could tell! Unlike you Neji when I watch someone I actually see something!" Lee said clenching his fist and stomping.

"That was rude.." Kakashi as he frowned.

"Lee! I was only trying to make a point! I wasn't being rude, like you are!" Neji said, inhaling deeply and standing up straight.

Ten-Ten sighed as she opened the door, allowing Gai to enter, "Happy birthday, Gai-sensei." she said smiling softly.

"Ten-Ten, what are you doing here?" Gai asked, as Ten-Ten took a bag from him and closed the door.

"You were being rude Neji! You're always rude!" Lee said as he threw his hands up.

"I am not!" Neji said as he crossed his arms.

Kakashi sighed and flipped his book open, and began to pretend to read it.

"GUYS!" Ten-Ten yelled, all four of the men in the room turned to look at her at once, though Kakashi only slightly turned, turning his head to look over his shoulder.

"Gai-sensei!" Neji and Lee said at once, as they both smiled.

Kakashi, mean while, turned and walked back to his bedroom.

Gai smiled "What are you all doing here?"

"Happy birthday Gai-sensei!" Lee said as he held up a birthday banner, and Neji wondered where he had gotten it.

"You guys... and Kakashi, are having me a birthday party?" Gai asked as he eyed the cake on the table.

"Yes." Neji said as he went to Gai and took the bags from him "I'll do that Gai-sensei." he said as he and Ten-Ten both went into the kitchen, Lee glanced around nervously, before grinning, "Excuse me Gai-sensei, I have to take care of something." he said as he rushed into the kitchen.

Gai frowned and just stood there, wondering what to do, when Kakashi appeared in his bedroom door way and motioned Gai over.

As soon as Gai was in arms reach Kakashi reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him closer, he nervously pulled his mask down and pressed his lips to Gai's quickly. Gai seemingly froze, before he put either hand on either side of Kakashi's face and kissed him hard, Kakashi pulled away after a few seconds and licked his lips, "...I-I have a birthday present for you." he muttered blushing slightly.

"What is it Kakashi?" Gai asked as he wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand.

Kakashi blushed even harder as he untied the robe, Gai hadn't noticed he was wearing until right then, and held it open wide, revealing a bow wrapped around his waist. "Me." he said blushing even harder.

Gai's face flushed crimson as he glanced back toward the kitchen before grabbing Kakashi's shoulders and pushing him back into the bedroom gently, "O-okay." he whispered as he kissed Kakashi lightly before glancing over his shoulder, "Children I'll be there to help you in a while." he said before he closed Kakashi's bedroom door behind himself.

Neji smirked as he held up a bottle of champagne, and a dozen roses, "I think Gai had the same idea we had for today." he said, as Lee just let his mouth hang open, and Ten-Ten burst out laughing.

~**FIN **


End file.
